Grace Phipps Interview

How hard is it to be very aware of what's going on, but still be that character who has no idea?

Well, in this particular situation, I have to [eventually] come to the conclusion that there are vampires and werewolves and hybrids in your hometown. That's not like a logical place to go. So when all these things are happening, especially when our memories are being erased, it does not make sense to assume, just because you have to play an insane character, like, “Wait a minute. Something’s fishy. I bet there are vampires.”

That’s true, and she takes it kind of in stride, like ‘Oh, the Grill's closed. That's weird. Oh, well.’
Yeah. I think the audience is looking for all those things, and April is so clearly not looking for it.

Do you think she's at all aware of what her father was doing?
I think April, when she was at boarding school, wasn't really talking a lot with her dad. Her dad was just like the dad archetype for her. They weren't really talking intimately about anything in each other's lives. I think probably April was really close with her mom, and when she died when she was younger, her whole parent relationship kind of died with it.

Is this all going to unravel at some point? It will come as a huge shock to this really nice girl?
Yeah. I don't think April knew anything was going on. Probably whenever April talked to her dad, it was all about how to be good and being moral and making good grades and those kinds of fatherly lectures, instead of like, “How are you doing, kid?”

If you had a choice between becoming an ally to Team Supernatural or continuing her father's work, which I assume is to annihilate all of them, where do you see April going?
I think April wouldn't ever want to destroy a supernatural enemy. She's not going to want all the vampires gone. I don't think. I think April's too intelligent and curious to want that. But being kept in the dark is not a fun thing.

The thing about keeping secrets, as shown with Jenna, is that if you keep a secret, someone’s more at risk. You don't tell your family what is going on to keep them safe. But really, somebody shows up at the house, and then all of a sudden, Aunt Jenna's compelled because she didn't know about vampires.

Should we expect more damsel in distress scenes for April?
I think for the show to function, they need a little bit of that, but as an audience member, you need a human. You need somebody to bring it back to where the audience was in Episode 1 because otherwise it becomes a complete soap opera without all the supernatural stuff. You need somebody to be like, “Okay. Wait a minute. Hold up. This is crazy.” Bringing it back. And then the other characters are going to have to rationalize it. And I think for the show to function, that's really important. It's the same thing when Buffy [the Vampire Slayer] added Dawn in Season 5. By that point, all of the Scoobys were helping Buffy kill vampires. So you need somebody who's able to be captured and be helped because every character on the show is just so able to rescue at this point. They need somebody to rescue.

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Grace Phipps Interview

Welcome to the TVD family! What was your initial reaction to your first Vampire Diaries script? After all, you just moved to Mystic Falls and suddenly your character is not only an orphan but also the victim of a brutal stabbing. 

Well, I kinda knew everything going in because I had to perform a few of those scenes during the audition. The first scene we actually did was where I walk up to Matt and Jeremy on my first day at Mystic Falls High and that was kinda how I fell in love with April because I loved her self-awareness in that scene. And ever since then, every week, I find myself more and more eager to find out new things get to happen to April. Basically, I already knew what I was getting myself into, and I was more than ready to face it. [laughs]

Are there any secret initiations for welcoming new TVD members on set? 

Yeah there’s this whole ‘drinking blood from a skull’ thing that happens after hours. [laughs] Oh no. Everyone’s been really welcoming, especially Claire [Holt]. When I had my first fitting on set and I hadn’t met anyone yet, I passed her in the hallway. Suddenly, she stops me and says “wait” in her Australian accent. “Wait, you’re the new girl. Take my phone number [and] all me if you if you need anything at all.” It was such a lovely thing for her to do because she knew what it was like to be in a new city and living out of a suitcase in a hotel and so she was like take my phone number so that was amazing of her.

Which of your co-stars so far seems to be the life of the party? 

Oh! I think Claire is definitely the life of the party and Candice is so good at planning things. She’s always planning these amazing events for her friends. She’s always like, “So I’m planning a scavenger hunt for so and so’s wedding.” She’s very good at it! She’s a little bit like Caroline in that way I think. Ian is really funny. And you know who else cracks me up? Paul Wesley. He’s funny and I don’t think people give him enough credit for how actually humorous he is. He’s always making jokes. Additionally, I love working with Eric Miltonstein – he might be the life of the party. To be honest, everyone is great and it’s been such a fun experience so far!

What has your favorite part of being on The Vampire Diaries been so far? 

Acting is definitely my favorite part of being on set…which is a really boring answer now that I say it. Sorry! [Laughs] I actually really love doing drama because I basically exist in a multi-camera sitcom. That’s pretty much the genre I live my life in and so it’s really fun to then go from rolling around on the camera team’s chairs in the hallway with Eric in the distance doing a Zoidberg from Futurama impression and then like, it’s time to go to set and so then you have to go cry and be in utter distress. It’s awesome. I love April for allowing me the opportunity.

Were you a fan of the show before you joined the cast? 

I was and still am. I was worried when I got on this show, I was like, G-d I’m gonna ruin the Vampire Diaries. It makes so uncomfortable. I hadn’t seen every single episode though. I started watching when [Chris Gruper] started directing in Season Three and so I was very confused and then I was like, okay I’m confused, so I started back at Season 1. So I had this big old two season gap I had to fill in.

A lot of fans were quick to note resemblances between April and Anna, Jeremy’s former ghost/vampire love. What are your thoughts on that? 

I mean, [the style team] curls my hair the same way, but — no really — that’s cool. I liked that character and still have a lot of respect for all she’s been through. She’s such a kickass vamp!

April literally just made a new friend – Rebekah – and then that friend got daggered by her hybrid brother. Will April question Bex’s disappearance at all? 

[sighs sadly] I know. How heartbreaking is that? That’s going to be hard for April because she’s finally found someone who understands her and can help her out. Everyone else knows that there are strange circumstances surrounding her dad’s death but no one’s telling April about it and so when somebody’s like, “I’ll help you look into that,” that’s a really big deal for April. And then all of a sudden her new friend vanishes. So, April ’s definitely, she’s not gonna just go along with what the excuses people keep feeding her. She’s going to keep asking where did [Rebekah] go?

Will any sparks fly between Jeremy and April in Season 4? 

I think April and Jeremy have a lot of history. I think primarily a kind of brother-sister thing…maybe. [laughs]

When compelling April in “Memorial,” Elena said that she’d help her through all the pain and sorrow. Will she make good on her promise? 

April and Elena have such a history and she’s really going to be like a big sister to April. But then again, Elena has SOOOOOOO much going on this season on TVD. It’s all like, ‘No big deal, I’m just a new vampire, I can’t keep down normal blood, and there’s an intense hunter on the loose.’ Seriously. She has a lot going on and it’s not going to be the same sort of situation as when April was in town and she was 13 and learning from her babysitter, Elena.

April is dealing with her dad’s death but she still hasn’t seen the letter that her dad left her – which Connor now has. Is she going to grow suspicious of all the supernatural disturbances in Mystic Falls sooner rather than later? 

I think when you’re not looking for something, you’re not gonna notice it as loudly. [laughs] I know you can’t notice things ‘loudly’ but I just enjoy saying that. But, there’s so much going on in Mystic Falls that it is going to obviously be confusing for April. Also, she’s been compelled so there’s gotta be a little bit of a twingy gap there — this tiny bit of doubt where you have this memory but you kind of always brush over it in your head.April has this memory her dad’s funeral and she remembers some vivid parts and the rest of it is a blur. The idea of taking someone’s memory is to me is just so dramatic and messing with somebody’s memory is borderline violent — and so all of that is truly interesting to act out.

It sounds like April is going to be the show’s ‘new’ Aunt Jenna in a way! 

Oh true! The only problem about being the Jenna or Jeremy of TVD Season 1 is that it’s very dangerous. It’s the whole Spider-man ordeal…where you try to keep people in the dark to keep them safe but they’re not gonna be safe that way because if a vampire comes to the house, Jenna’s going to let him in — to invite him into her home without knowing his ulterior motives.

We just have to know — is there anything actually written in the journals the characters keep on the show? 

April has one prop journal which was debuted in episode 4.02, my first episode. She’s been journaling for a while and was inspired by Elena, whom she looks up to. And it’s just cool to have my prop journal. I write in it whenever we’re on set. I go write in it on my set chair. [laughs] No, but really — our prop team is detailed about things like that. They’re good about writing things in the diaries, and sometimes scribble down funny things that happen while on set in there. And then I write in it, in my handwriting — in cursive of course!

You also starred on another amazing supernatural series, The Nine Lives of Chloe King. Do you still keep in touch with any of your cast mates? 

Of course! I still see a bunch of my costars. I did a photo shoot with Skyler [Samuels] and one of the show’s writers. It was pretty neat — it was Polaroid themed. I see Ki Hong [Lee]. I see Ben [Stone]. I also basically all of the writers and then, the TNLOCk supervising director who really set a lot of the tone on the show — Chris Grismer — is now working on The Vampire Diaries so that’s really exciting. Yeah, so I see him all the time and his son Noah who’s like the most amazing child I’ve ever met in my life. Oh — and Alyssa Diaz is going to be on TVD as well! I didn’t know about it and Chris was like, “Hey! Did you see Alyssa?” And I was like, “What are you talking about?” Personally speaking, I just thought that he had lost it — that he needed to go home and sleep. But no, she was there. It was insane and so wonderful! So yeah, I still see everyone.

Moment of truth…Which TNLOCK couple did you secretly root for – Brian and Chloe or Alek and Chloe? 

It’s hard to choose! I think there was a lot of Chalek fans – but, I personally feel as though Chloe needed to end up with Brian. I mean, of course, [my character] Amy was purely a Team Chloe fan. To be honest, I have a little bit of an issue with the “Team” thing because I’m confused as to why can’t we all just root for Sookie. Why can’t we all just root for Buffy? [Laughs]

Aww! Now we’re kind of struggling with whether or not to ask you if you are Team Damon or Team Stefan. We don’t want to put you in a tough spot or anything... 

[laughs] Oh, that’s easy! I’m team Elena. I want her to be happy regardless of what man she’s with.
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Grace Phipps On Her First Appearance

"The Vampire Diaries" has some fresh blood this year, and we promise you're going to love her. In last week's premiere, you met Pastor Young, the fanatical preacher who blew up the entire Founder's Council in a suicide mission that's sure to have dire repercussions. Before he did, though, he wrote a letter -- to his daughter, April.

Grace Phipps plays the 16-year-old spitfire, who returns to Mystic Falls after a few years away to attend her father's funeral. When we first meet her, she's worried that the entire town will resent her father for not getting his gas gauges checked ... because, of course, the police have dismissed the tragedy as a gas leak.

A human orphan who is about to be sucked into vampire madness, April is a little bit Season 1 Elena, with the sarcastic humor of our dearly departed Anna. "I've done a lot of work with Nina, which has been fun," Phipps tells Zap2it. "April really, really looks up to Elena, so that's been really fun to play with. She kind of mirrors her a little bit. April grew up with Elena babysitting her, so they're very close."

Like many of her Mystic Falls cohorts, April now has no family to speak of, and Elena takes her under her wing. "Since she doesn't have a role model right now, she looks to Elena," Phipps says. Still, despite the horrifying circumstances surrounding her, April keeps a brave face.

"What's actually really fun to play about April, and what drew me to her when I first read the part, is that she's not a depressed person. She's not a person who goes around blaming. I mean, she's 16, so you're not entirely stable at that point, you're a teenager, but she's not a tragic person, she just got thrust into a tragic situation. That's what's really fun to play," she explains. "There's a conflict between the person that she wants to be and the situation that she's in."

As for romance, "There is a love interest," Phipps tells us coyly. When we ask whether there's just one love interest, she scoffs, "Let's not talk about geometry yet!"

Phipps brings a great new energy to the cast, while April shifts the dynamic of the show a bit. Now, Elena isn't concerned about saving herself all the time -- she's got a new, innocent person in town who means a lot to her, and keeping April safe begins to take priority. As we'll see in tonight's episode, "Memorial," keeping April safe is much easier said than done thanks to a new hunter in town.

More On Grace Phipps' Character, April

"TVD" is getting some fresh blood in Season 4, which premieres Thursday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW. Grace Phipps is set to star as April, a former Mystic Falls resident who returns to town after her father is killed.

Executive producer Julie Plec tells us that Phipps' character brings a "new spirit, a new energy, and a youthful quality" to the show. "She is human; I'll tell you that. She's in high school, and she doesn't know the secrets of the town. She's, in a lot of ways -- and very deliberately so -- like Elena in Season 1. So she'll be a girl who reminds Elena a lot of herself, and Elena in her new phase in life will feel very fiercely protective of this girl. It'll be a fun relationship, a fun dynamic," Plec adds.

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New Season Secrets

- Early in the season, newly-turned vampire Elena (Nina Dobrev) will have what Plec calls her "first hot vampire sex" with either Damon, Stefan, Klaus, Matt or Elijah. A possible clue as to who the lucky guy is? "Elena saved Matt's life, so he's going to end up paying it forward in a very peculiar way." Dobrev's reaction to the action: "It's like she's going through puberty and vampire sex is going to feel like her first time."

- Stefan (Paul Wesley) will be driving a new motorcycle to show off his rebellious side. "I ride motorcycles in my daily life, so I'm excited to burn some rubber," says Wesley, who'd been campaigning for these wheels. "I ride a Triumph but I'm hoping Stefan gets something vintage."

- Damon (Ian Somerhalder) will find a new daytime drinking buddy in Tyler (Michael Trevino). "I think Tyler is up to the challenge of picking up at the bar where Alaric left off," says Trevino. Adds Somerhalder: "Enemies will become allies."

- The fourth episode flashes back 900 years to shed further light on Rebekah (Claire Holt), who's looking for a new place to live. "The Salvatore house is huge," suggests Somerhalder. "And so is Damon's bed!"

- Expect a "big, spontaneous, explosion of joy with some kissing" the first time Caroline (Candice Accola) lays eyes on Tyler, who she thought died. "Shirts are flying off in our first episode back," teases Trevino. 

- Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) will possibly find love with new character April (Grace Phipps, who arrives in Episode 2), a pastor's daughter who returns from boarding school under tragic circumstances and reconnects with her childhood friend. "It will be interesting to see where they go with that," says McQueen. "But he and Bonnie still have some unfinished business."

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Grace Phipps Cast As April

Grace Phipps has been cast as April Young.
She will first make an appearance in 4x02, returning to Mystic Falls upon the death of her Father, Pastor Young. April is described as "natural beauty with a bit of an edge". She knew Elena and Jeremy from childhood.

Info On New Characters - April & Connor

For episode 4.01, the character Pastor Young is being cast. His daughter April Young is also being cast in a recurring role beginning in episode 4.02. Pastor Young hates vampires, and he threatens Meredith that he will expose her use of vampire blood on her patients and he captures Damon and wants to use him as bait in order to try to capture Stefan, too. 

April Young returns to town after her father dies, to attend his funeral.

Connor Owens is also being cast for episode 4.02. He shows Damon a folder of notes he's been keeping and threatens Damon. Connor and Tyler argue over each of them having something that the other wants (knowledge of how a curse is triggered and the location of a particular stone).

Who's coming to Mystic Falls?

Our merry gang of monsters and friends is about to grow a bit when a 16-year-old girl named April comes back to town. She's from Mystic Falls, so she remembers Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) from their childhood, but she's been away at private school for the last few years. She decides to move back to town after a death in the family, so when we first meet her, she's grieving. Perhaps some of our favorite characters can relate. While we're not sure yet whether she's got a hidden agenda, we can tell you that she's smarter than first impressions may convey. 

Producers are also looking for someone slightly more threatening. (By slightly, we mean a whole freaking lot.) They're seeking a "scary hot" -- emphasis on scary -- actor to play the imposing Connor. He's described as a "highly trained killing machine," so, you know... nothing too out-of-the-ordinary for a Mystic Falls newcomer.

Both roles are recurring, and we can expect them to be pretty significant in the first part of the season.


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